Enhancement Shaman: Races

Savage adds 1% crit with any weapon and Blood Fury lines up with Windfury procs, about 1% on a pull, an estimate. Hardiness cuts stun duration 20%, and Shatter Curse removes Curses and Banes and cuts magic damage taken 5% for 8 seconds, every 3 minutes. The class has no curse removal of its own, which makes Shatter Curse worth having. Safety scores 4 of 5 for Enhancement Shaman. Hardiness helps against stuns, and little else helps leveling. Leveling scores 2 of 5.

Skyborne (Windshaper) ties it at 3.05, so the pick between them is a matter of taste: Orc leads on safety (Shatter Curse), and Skyborne (Windshaper) leads on damage (Wind Blessed) and leveling (Skysight).

Weighted score 3.05, the best for this spec, which is S tier.

What would move it: It would lose first place if testing showed Wind Blessed on Skyborne (Windshaper) worth more than the estimate for Enhancement Shaman now, or if Blood Fury were cut in a patch.

The Orc race page

Wind Blessed adds 3% melee haste, which means more swings and more Windfury and Flurry procs, an estimated 2 to 3% more damage. Walk on Air is a 10 second glide on a 90 second cooldown, and that is the whole safety kit. Safety scores 1 of 5 for Enhancement Shaman. Skysight adds 10% movement speed for 30 seconds, or 15 minutes at an elemental convergence. Leveling scores 3 of 5.

It ties Orc at the top weighted score and trails by 0.00.

Scores for Skyborne (Windshaper) for Enhancement Shaman

Criterion	Weight	Score
The spec's job	55	●●●●○ 4
Survival and utility	25	●○○○○ 1
Leveling and downtime	20	●●●○○ 3

Weighted score 3.05, the best for this spec, which is S tier.

What would move it: It would take sole first place if a test showed Wind Blessed worth more for Enhancement Shaman than the estimate now, or if Blood Fury on Orc lost value.

The Skyborne race page

Berserking adds 10% speed for 10 seconds per 3 minutes, about 0.6% on average and up to about 1% on a short fight (an estimate). Rapid Regeneration heals 50% of maximum health over 6 seconds, but any movement, action or damage cancels it. Regeneration adds 20% health regen. Safety scores 2 of 5 for Enhancement Shaman. Regeneration adds 20% health regen (20% of it works in combat), and Beast Slaying adds 5% damage to Beasts. Leveling scores 3 of 5.

Ahead of it: Orc and Skyborne (Windshaper). The best, Orc, is 0.85 ahead because it is stronger on damage (Blood Fury, 3 of 5 against 2) and safety (Shatter Curse, 4 of 5 against 2). This race wins on leveling (Regeneration) but not by enough. Tier B covers up to 1.17 behind; tier A needs 0.83 or less.

Scores for Troll for Enhancement Shaman

Criterion	Weight	Score
The spec's job	55	●●○○○ 2
Survival and utility	25	●●○○○ 2
Leveling and downtime	20	●●●○○ 3

Weighted score 2.20, 0.85 behind the best race for this spec, which is B tier.

What would move it: Closing about 0.02 of weighted score, through a higher tested value for Berserking or a change to Blood Fury on Orc, would lift it to tier A.

The Troll race page

Endurance adds 5% health and 2% to the crit bonus, about 0.1 to 0.4% more damage. War Stomp is a hard stop the class lacks. War Stomp stuns up to 5 enemies for 2 seconds on a 90 second cooldown, and Endurance adds 5% health. Safety scores 4 of 5 for Enhancement Shaman. Plainsrunning adds up to 30% movement speed while moving, and Endurance adds 5% health. Leveling scores 3 of 5.

Ahead of it: Orc, Skyborne (Windshaper) and Troll. The best, Orc, is 0.90 ahead because it is stronger on damage (Blood Fury, 3 of 5 against 1). This race wins on leveling (Plainsrunning) but not by enough. Tier B covers up to 1.17 behind; tier A needs 0.83 or less.

Scores for Tauren for Enhancement Shaman

Criterion	Weight	Score
The spec's job	55	●○○○○ 1
Survival and utility	25	●●●●○ 4
Leveling and downtime	20	●●●○○ 3

Weighted score 2.15, 0.90 behind the best race for this spec, which is B tier.

What would move it: Closing about 0.07 of weighted score, through a higher tested value for Endurance or a change to Blood Fury on Orc, would lift it to tier A.

The Tauren race page

Breaks scores 4 of 5: Hardiness cuts stun duration 20% at all times, and Shatter Curse removes curses. Burst scores 5 of 5: Blood Fury adds 10% attack power and spell power for 15 seconds on a 3 minute cooldown, and Savage adds 1% crit. Blood Fury raises attack power for 15 seconds beside Rage of the Farseer. Defensives scores 2 of 5: Shatter Curse cuts magic damage 5% for 8 seconds. Mobility scores 1 of 5: Orc has nothing here.

No race is ahead of it. The next race, Tauren, is 1.05 behind and sits in tier B. It falls short on breaks (Hardiness, 4 of 5, against 1 here) and burst (Blood Fury, 5 of 5, against Endurance, 2).

Weighted score 3.15, the best for this spec, which is S tier.

What would move it: It would lose first place if testing whether Blood Fury's cooldown is 3 minutes (older notes say 2) went against it, or if its Blood Fury were cut in a patch. Tauren is 1.05 behind, so it would take a large change.

The Orc race page

Breaks scores 1 of 5: Tauren has no break from control. Burst scores 2 of 5: Endurance adds a 2% crit bonus. Defensives scores 2 of 5: Endurance adds 5% health. Mobility scores 4 of 5: War Stomp stuns five enemies within 8 yards for 2 seconds (0.5 second cast, 90 second cooldown, and a stun or interrupt cuts it), and Plainsrunning adds speed while moving.

It is 1.05 behind Orc, the best race for this spec, and sits in tier B. The gap comes from breaks (Hardiness, 4 of 5, against 1 here) and burst (Blood Fury, 5 of 5, against Endurance, 2). It does lead on mobility (4 of 5 against 1).

Weighted score 2.10, 1.05 behind the best race for this spec, which is B tier.

What would move it: Reaching Orc means making up 1.05. One more point on mobility is worth 0.20, so settling whether War Stomp's 0.5 second cast lands before a stun or interrupt cuts it would not be enough by itself. It would take a patch to its racials.

The Tauren race page

Breaks scores 1 of 5: Skyborne has no break from control. Burst scores 3 of 5: Wind Blessed adds 3% haste at all times. The haste speeds swings, which may feed Windfury procs; this is an estimate. Defensives scores 1 of 5: Skyborne has nothing in combat. Mobility scores 2 of 5: Skysight adds 10% speed for 30 seconds and can be cast while moving, and Walk on Air is a 10 second glide on a 90 second cooldown.

It is 1.45 behind Orc, the best race for this spec, and sits in tier C. The gap comes from breaks (Hardiness, 4 of 5, against 1 here), burst (Blood Fury, 5 of 5, against Wind Blessed, 3) and defensives (Shatter Curse, 2 of 5, against 1 here). It does lead on mobility (2 of 5 against 1).

Scores for Skyborne (Windshaper) for Enhancement Shaman

Criterion	Weight	Score
Breaks and escapes	30	●○○○○ 1
Burst	25	●●●○○ 3
Defensives	25	●○○○○ 1
Mobility and detection	20	●●○○○ 2

Weighted score 1.70, 1.45 behind the best race for this spec, which is C tier.

What would move it: Reaching Orc means making up 1.45. One more point on burst is worth 0.25, so settling whether Wind Blessed's 3% haste is worth more than estimated for swing speed would not be enough by itself. It would take a patch to its racials.

The Skyborne race page

Breaks scores 1 of 5: Troll has no break from control. Burst scores 3 of 5: Berserking adds 10% attack and casting speed for 10 seconds on a 3 minute cooldown. Berserking's attack speed stacks with Rage of the Farseer. Defensives scores 1 of 5: Rapid Regeneration heals 50% over 6 seconds but any damage, action or movement cancels it, so it works only out of combat. Mobility scores 1 of 5: Troll has nothing here.

It is 1.65 behind Orc, the best race for this spec, and sits in tier D. The gap comes from breaks (Hardiness, 4 of 5, against 1 here), burst (Blood Fury, 5 of 5, against Berserking, 3) and defensives (Shatter Curse, 2 of 5, against Rapid Regeneration, 1).

Weighted score 1.50, 1.65 behind the best race for this spec, which is D tier.

What would move it: Reaching Orc means making up 1.65. One more point on burst is worth 0.25, so settling whether Berserking's attack speed stacks with Rage of the Farseer would not be enough by itself. It would take a patch to its racials.

The Troll race page